Page 33 - 2018 IHSAA Annual Report

Hoosier Hysteria

Several current NBA players with Indiana
high school basketball roots haven’t been
mentioned yet either, names like Hayward,
Hill, Randolph, Robinson III, Conley, Ferrell,
Lee, Moore, Teague and McRoberts. At
last count, 20 current NBA players grew up
wearing the colors of an Indiana high school.

Here’s a statistic that supports the point:
Indiana is the home of more players, per
capita, playing in the NBA than any other
state. Indiana has 26 NBA players per
million residents whereas Kentucky and
Mississippi are tied in second place at 23.

All of these talented players developed their
basketball skill level enough to become a
Division 1 college or NBA-caliber player
while playing for their hometown Indiana
high school. Because they made the choice to
play for their high school instead of trans- Romeo Langford, a graduate of New Albany
High School, is one of several Indiana
ferring to a basketball academy, they also student-athletes who will be playing
learned the life lessons that participating in Division 1 college basketball in the fall.
high school sports teaches, lessons they’ll
use for the rest of their lives.

“ Athletes should be held to a higher standard

when it comes to character and sportsmanship.”

A ND R E W K L I NE Covington High School

The quality of high school basketball in You’ll still find thousands of basketball
Indiana is not only evident on the court, hoops in driveways, backyards, playgrounds,
it’s also apparent in the stands. During the alleys and haylofts from one corner of
2018 boys basketball tournament, five of Indiana to the other. They add significantly
the IHSAA’s 16 regional sites completely to the culture of our state, and represent
sold out, all four semi-state sites had huge one of the most unique and effective feeder
crowds and the attendance for the 1A and systems in the history of sport. When kids
2A state championship games at Bankers grow up in Indiana with a basketball in their
Life Fieldhouse was 13,127, the largest in ten hands, there’s no limit to what they can
years. Total attendance for the tournament accomplish or the number of people who will
was an impressive 26,879 on a blustery day flock to a high school gym to see them do it.
when 10 inches of snow fell in Indianapolis.

INDIANA HIGH S CHOOL A THLE TIC ASS OCIATION Annual Report 2018 33